The Awful Edges
by thexsharpestlives
Summary: One of the Joker's men is killed by the daughter of one of the many Mobsters in Gotham. The price that she paid was that she was given to the Joker. He told her father that he would either kill him or he would take Meredith. Now she found herself in the clutches of a mad man and would do anything to survive. Joker/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is my first try at a Joker and OC story that I have ever published online. I know a lot of people ship Harley and Joker, as do I! She will be in this though! I wanted to do something different and thought that I would give this a try. This is going to feature a lot of mature content so if that makes you uncomfortable, I suggest finding something else! Please be kind and leave me some reviews! I am wondering if I should even keep this going! So let me know!**

* * *

The water was tinged red.

It was scalding hot as it came rushing from the showerhead onto the petite female underneath it. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her hands resting against either side of her neck. Each of her fingers was stained with blood. The blood that was dripping down her body and staining the stark white tub. Her head tilted down to watch as it spun down before disappearing into the drain. Flashes of the night were traveling through her mind. Images that she wished she could erase.

Her own father had made her do it, said that it had to be done. There was blood on her hands and it was all due to him. The man that was supposed to be protector had pushed her over that edge. He had forced her to take a life to prove herself to him. That she was a worthy heir for when he was no longer around. God forbid something happen to him and he didn't have a son. Ever since she had been born she had been paying for not being the son that he desired. After she had been born her father insisted on trying again and again.

Each time it had resulted into a miscarriage or stillbirth until the fourth time.

The fourth try not only took the baby but the mother that she desperately needed.

The brief glimpses of happiness that had been provided by her mother were stolen from her. After the funeral, her father treated her worse than before. Half the time he didn't acknowledge she even existed let alone resided in the same space as him. Until she got older and he decided that she was all he had left. She was his last hope to keep the family business going.

He had thrust the revolver into her hands that had been trembling.

She hadn't even known who the man was or what he had done to deserve to die. He had been placed in front of her while her father's men circled around them like buzzards. They were there not only to prevent the man from escaping but to prevent her from running away. What had been what she thought was a mere night out with her father had been morphed into something else. Her own father was shouting at her to do it or he would make sure that she was punished. He would make sure that she understood her place.

One of the men had shoved her forward gruffly and mumbled something about how she needed to do it. That man had been the same that had escorted her to and from school growing up. A man that had been more a father figure to her than the man whose last name she carried. She had chanced looking at him to see the look in his eyes. There was a look on his face that was a mixture of not just worry but pity.

The gun was held in her grasp, the barrel pointed towards the man's forehead. The nameless man who wasn't even begging for her to spare his life. What made it even more perplexing was the fact that he didn't even look nervous. More of her father's men had begun to shout just like her own father was. The noise, the gun and everything else was overwhelming her. It was as if her finger had a mind of its own, squeezing down on the trigger.

There was a loud bang followed by blood splattering all over her. His body dropped down to the floor with a thud. The gun was being taken from her hand only to be replaced with a switchblade. Another order was given, to cut his eyes from his head. It was meant to be a message to whoever his employer was. Even though it disgusted her she went to move towards the lifeless corpse. A sob wracked through her as she brought the knife down towards his face.

Bile traveled up her throat only to go back down as she did what she was told. The eye balls were taken by one of the men who had a box waiting. After that she had fallen back, feeling the blood that decorated her hands. A look of shock was on her face but she didn't make a sound. Tears were cascading down her cheeks, her make up sliding along with it. No one said a word and her father merely yanked her up by her arm roughly. She was thrust into the arms of one of his men who had been ordered to take her home and see to it that she had cleaned up.

The water had been running so long that it was starting to become cold. That fact didn't make her move, instead letting it run over her frame. As if it would wash away what she had just done a mere hour before. Her fingers were sure to become prunes but that didn't matter to her. It took her a few moments to begin to move, starting to scrub at her skin as hard as she could. She scrubbed it until it was nearly raw. After she turned the water off she quickly stepped out of the tub. Her arm extended out to grab the fluffy grey towel that was waiting.

It was wrapped around her frame and she turned towards the mirror. Her hand reached up to wipe at the condensation that had formed to look at her reflection. All traces of what had happened that evening had disappeared. Though there was something different about her and she knew it. She felt as if she had aged ten years due to what she had done. Her sopping wet hair curled, sticking to the sides of her face. Her bright green eyes seemed to have become dull.

A purple tooth brush was in the holder that she quickly loaded with toothpaste. She wanted to get the taste of bile out of her mouth if it was at all possible. Her movement was vigorous as she brushed. Quickly she spat and wiped her mouth using the hand towel. Even if she didn't want to, she forced herself to turn and go into her room. On the floor was the bright blue dress that was stained with not just sweat but blood. It had been expensive like most of the items in her closet. Only the best for her even if she was nothing to her father. Their family always had an image to maintain. Even on the day of her mother's funeral she had been expected to look perfect.

She went to pick up the garment to toss it into the garbage can that was in the corner of the room. The towel dropped to the floor and she hurried to put something else on. That something else ended up being a long sleeve white shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Instead of drying her hair she put it up into a twist before diving into her bed. The blankets were pulled tightly around her almost as if she was in a cocoon.

It didn't take long for sleep to claim her.

After all she felt like she would sleep for days.

* * *

Three days passed before she saw her father again. He had barged into her room in the middle of the afternoon, dressed in a nicely pressed suit. It looked brand new and was probably worth more than she cared to think about. His hair was neatly combed and he smelled like cologne.

"Get dressed," he barked, looking around the room before his eyes landed on her.

She had been curled up on the window seat, merely staring out the window. That day it was raining, big fat drops were hitting the window. Before she had his footsteps, she had been watching as they slowly trailed down the glass. Even if it was in the middle of the afternoon she still wore her pajamas.

"Meredith," he stated, his jaw clenched," Get dressed and be downstairs in ten minutes."

It clicked for her at that moment that he must have had some sort of event to attend. One of the many to try to keep his good image up. No one needed to know that he was just one of the many crime lords that ruled the underworld of Gotham. To most of the public her father was merely a very good businessman who did what he could for the people. She knew for a fact that he donated to multiple charities a month. A man like him could afford it.

Meredith forced herself to nod before she climbed from her perch. The second that she began moving she was left alone, the door slamming shut swiftly. After forcing herself to take a breath she made a beeline for her closet. Due to the size of her wardrobe it was a walk in. Some of the items still had price tags on them, fresh from the store. From the way that her father was dressed she knew that she needed to wear something on the nice side. Though she hoped that he wasn't setting her up for something else, some other test.

After slipping on a plum colored halter style dress she went to find the right kind of shoes. Those ended up being a simple pair of black peek toe pumps. A black cardigan was thrown over it and she went to try to fix her hair. Fixing it ended up being putting it in a low side ponytail. By that point her time was up and she hurried down to the foyer of their home to meet him. He was glancing at the Rolex that he was so fond of. When he realized, she was standing there he merely motioned for her to head out the door. There was already a town car that was waiting for them.

She barely said a word as she climbed in and made sure to scoot to the other side. The last thing that she wanted was for her father to claim that she was crowding him. He was climbing in behind her and the driver shut the door. Her father hadn't even looked to see who the driver was. They always used a service and usually it was the same man.

The driver was quickly getting into the driver's seat and soon they were joining ongoing traffic. Meredith knew better than to try to start any kind of conversation. Instead she stared out the tinted window, watching everything going on outside. Sometimes she felt like she lived in a bubble, a separate world. No one could ever understand what she was put through and it was all because of a man who was supposed to love her. All he had done was make sure that she was looked after by a nanny and that she kept a good reputation.

* * *

Thirty minutes went by before the silence was broken.

"Where the hell are, you going? This isn't the right way! This isn't even the right part of town!"

Meredith realized that her father was shouting at the driver who didn't even flinch. Most people were frightened of her father but not the driver. In fact, she swore she saw him grinning in the rearview mirror. His eyes met hers for a moment before he was suddenly jerking the wheel. The force of the turn made her father's body smash into hers as her own hit the door. Her head slammed against the glass and everything was starting to become a bit fuzzy.

"I'm afraid there has been a change of plans," said a voice that she assumed belonged to the driver.

The car was starting to slow down and was pulling into a warehouse of some sort. It looked like one of the ones that her father owned and ran his side business out of it. No one that wasn't a part of that world knew about that. There were so many things that no one knew.

Her father was cursing, sputtering and looking around bewildered. The engine was cut off and the driver was getting out only to come to the side of the car she was on. The door was yanked open and a hand grasped at her arm. A surprised cry ripped from her the moment her body was tugged from the car. Another man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere was grabbing her father in the same fashion.

It took her a second to realize that the man was wearing a clown mask. What did that mean? He was also sporting a gun, holding it in his free hand. They dragged the pair of them towards the back where there were others waiting. Her body was being thrown forward, carelessly.

She barely could catch herself using her hands, knowing her palms were likely scraped. It didn't take a genius to figure out that her father was next to her. His breathing was heavy and she knew that he was angry. It was easy to sense even without looking at him.

"Do you have any idea who I am? Do you know what I could do you?" he roared through that only got him shoved into the ground.

The other men were standing above them, each wearing masks. Some wore clown masks but there were others. Each one of them was holding a weapon. None of them made a move towards them though. It seemed like they were waiting for someone or something. There was a tightness forming in her chest and she wasn't sure what to do. Tears threatened to come out that she tried to hold back.

No noise was made for at least eight minutes.

A loud bone chilling cackle suddenly echoed throughout the warehouse.

"Well what do we have here?"

The voice was familiar and undeniable. It was a voice that every person in Gotham knew. The voice that belonged to the clown prince himself, The Joker. His face had been plastered on every single news station for months. Everyone had thought that he would be safe locked away in Arkham but he had proven them wrong. Everyone had heard the story about how his so-called therapist had fallen in love with him only to aid him in escaping. She had become his Queen to those that lived in the underworld. Everyone that kept up with the news also knew that she was gone, having been caught by the Batman.

No one knew where she was or if she would ever come back.

"Clown!" her father spat, his eyes narrowing," What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

Meredith forced herself to look up even though a very big part of her was scared to. Only a few mere feet away from her stood the man that frightened thousands of people. He had put the world on its axis and had done so with very little effort. He looked just like he had when she had been watching him on the plasma screen in her bedroom. His skin looked white, white from head to toe. There were the many tattoos that decorated his frame. He was grinning which let everyone see the grill in his mouth. He was even wearing the bling that she thought most didn't wear.

"You did something you shouldn't have," he stated in a sing song voice, moving closer to them," You took something I need and there is no getting him back."

Meredith was instantly confused, not understanding what he was speaking about. What had her father taken? Or rather who had her father taken?

"That asshole that you thought could intimidate me?"

"Didn't do a very good job, did he?"

The Joker was crouched down now, in front of her father. His arms hung limply at his sides, covered by purple rubber gloves. He had a curious look in his eyes. He reached to pull at the collar of her father's shirt, forcing him upright somewhat.

"Word is that you had your little heir get her hands dirty."

All the attention was suddenly on her. His words made all the confusion instantly wash away. The man that her father had made her kill was one of the Joker's men. Apparently, he was someone who was very important to him for whatever reason. There was no knowing why he was important to the Joker. Half the time what he did or didn't do made zero sense. There was no rhyme or reason to it.

Meredith could hear the Joker moving towards her though he didn't stand to do so. His gloved hands were grasping at her chin, yanking her into a full on sitting position. All her weight rested on her legs and she didn't know what she should do. One thing that she was certain of was that she looked like a deer in headlights.

"The heiress herself," observed the Joker with a chuckle," Looks more like a scared little kitten than an heiress."

Her father wasn't yelling at him to keep his hands off her. Instead he was watching the Joker closely, probably wondering what he would do next. Meredith knew that she was in trouble and it was all due to her father. Her stupid father who had wanted her to prove herself.

"Did daddy have you send me those eye balls kitten?"

Meredith's lips parted but no words came out. That caused the Joker to laugh, clearly amused. He reached to run his fingers along the side of her face almost like a caress. His touch caused her to flinch but that only seemed to encourage him to keep going. His fingers were wandering up towards her hairline.

"I did-didn't know," she stammered out," I didn't know he was one of yo-your men."

"Of course, you didn't," cooed Joker, his face suddenly inches from hers," You are just the innocent little kitten, aren't you?"

"Shut your fucking mouth Meredith!"

Her father's voice caused the Joker's head to turn. He looked annoyed at the interruption and he produced a knife from his pocket.

"Be quiet," he sneered," Or I'll markup that face you are so proud of."

That threat was more than enough to shut him up. His vanity was almost just as bad as his pride. Again, the attention was back on Meredith. Her chin was once again being grasped by the Joker. His eyes were scanning every single inch of her face before drifting down towards her body. For some reason, it made her feel exposed even if she was fully dressed. There was an urge to wrap her arms around herself but she didn't want to move. No one knew what might set the Joker off, after all, he was unpredictable.

That was only one of the things that made him dangerous.

"Was it your first time? Killing someone?"

Meredith barely could nod, not wanting to speak. Part of it was out of fear of the Joker and the other was fear from her father. If they made it out of the mess they were in, he would surely do something. If she ever did something he deemed wrong, there was always a consequence.

The Joker's tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth. From the look on his face he almost seemed to be deep in thought. He was looking from her to her father than back again. There was some sort of plan forming in his head. No one was speaking, the only sound was her father's labored breathing.

"Tell you what," stated the Joker with a flourish, letting her go only to rise towards his feet.

He was walking back towards her father but didn't crouch down. There was still a thoughtful look on his face as he looked from her to her father.

"I'll take something of yours," he said with a grin, twirling the knife between his fingers," I'll take the kitten and we'll call it even."

"Done."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And here is the next chapter! Thank you to those that have favorited, reviewed and followed! This chapter is a bit shorter! The next updates will be longer! I just needed to have a bit of a filler chapter to lead to what I have in mind for this! So again, please leave me some love! It would be great!**

* * *

"Done."

One word had ended the life that Meredith knew.

It was with one word that her father had signed her life away.

Everything suddenly seemed to be moving in slow motion. Two of the Joker's men were pulling her father to his feet only to drag him out. That left her alone and her heart was pounding like mad. She could hear her own blood rushing in her ears. The Joker was laughing like the maniac that he was at the whole scene. She was being yanked up but it wasn't by him.

"What do you want us to do with her boss?"

What did he want to do with her? Was it just a game to him?

"Take her home boys!"

There was suddenly a piercing pain the back of her head. Her body crumpled to the ground in the heap. The man that had a Batman mask on had hit her in the head with the butt of his gun. The Joker made a tsk noise but he didn't say a word. Instead he just motioned for them to keep moving. The man reached to pick Meredith up only to toss her like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder.

He threw her into the back of a panel van, not even minding her head. The other guys clambered in before they took off in the direction of the Joker's home. A home that had belonged to a very powerful man who was floating at the bottom of the river.

When they reached the house, it was none other than Frost who brought Meredith inside. Since he knew better than to put her in one of the rooms, he placed her on the sofa. He even made sure to tuck a pillow beneath her head. After that he got a tall glass of water and placed two Advil on the coffee table. Since the Joker hadn't given direct orders about what to do with her, it was probably best to look after her.

* * *

Hours went by before her eyes slowly opened. It took her a moment to remember everything that happened. Her hand went to cradle the back of her head. Her fingers felt a slight bump forming and she remembered being hit with something. Her gaze traveled across the room that she was in. She was planted on a rather plush couch that probably cost a pretty penny.

The room that she was in was very clean and seemed to be a living room of some sort. Along with the couch were two matching armchairs. A glass coffee table along with some end tables that held lamps. There were bookshelves filled with all sorts of books. Mounted on the wall was a flat screen that looked like it was the most expensive available.

Finally, she took note of the glass on the table and the pills. Part of her was nervous to take them since she wasn't sure what they were. Only after taking a good look at them did she pop them into her mouth. Quickly she took a swig from the glass before setting it down. After she swallowed she realized that the house was quiet. In fact, no noise of any kind was being made.

Was she alone?

Was she in the Joker's house?

She had thought that a man like him would probably be hiding in the Narrows. Instead she assumed that he was living in a rather rich area. It was probably the same kind of area that she had lived in her entire life. Though she lived in a townhouse rather than a house like the one she was in. The term house probably should have been used loosely considering it seemed more like a mansion.

It was a relief when she realized that she was still dressed. A very big part of her had feared that they might have stripped her.

Meredith was more than tempted to hide underneath the comfort of the blanket that had been draped over her. Instead she slowly climbed to her feet and wrapped said blanket around her shoulders. The blanket provided a comfort and was almost like a shield of sorts. The young woman wasn't stupid enough to think that she would be protected in the place that she was in.

Her own father had just thrown her into the hands of one of the most insane men in Gotham.

Even though Meredith wasn't as involved in the underworld of Gotham you would have to be an idiot to not know about the Joker. Everyone knew just how crazy he was and how ruthless he was. His body count had to be the highest in Gotham.

She wasn't sure what she was doing but she began to move. If she was alone she figured it would be a good chance to look around her prison. It was lavish compared to some other places she was certain that the Joker kept people in. Her feet led her up a small set of stairs that led her to another floor. One thing that still surprised her was just how pristine everything seemed to be.

It almost looked like a home that belonged to normal people.

That was a mere fleeting though the second she reached a room that held all kinds of weapons. In the back of her mind she knew that they had to be stolen. It wasn't as if the Joker could go purchase a gun or any of the military grade weapons.

She was looming in the doorway, slack jawed. Her own father had his own supply of weapons but they weren't on display in his home. Most of them were locked up where prying eyes couldn't find them. She only knew about it because she had heard her father's men discussing a new shipment coming in. Often, she had used her talent for being invisible to her advantage growing up.

* * *

"You shouldn't be in here."

The voice startled her even if it was calm, cool.

Meredith whirled around to find herself face to face with who she assumed was Joker's right hand man. He was dressed neatly in a suit, his hair combed back. Both of his hands were clasped together and he had a rather bored look in his eyes.

"I just was look-looking for the bathroom."

A lie.

From the look, he gave her he knew it was a lie.

He didn't say a word but reached to grasp her by her upper arm. She tried not to make a sound even if his grip was tight. Instead she allowed him to pull her along, as if she had a choice. He was leading her down a rather long hall and up another small set of stairs.

"There are rules in this house that you must follow ma'am."

"It's Meredith," she found herself saying absently," Not ma'am."

He merely simpered at her before letting go of her arm. The two of them were in the kitchen that held all the latest appliances. It made the kitchen in her former home look like it was nothing. The marble counter tops, the chandelier and just everything.

"Sit," he ordered," I'll make you something."

Meredith glanced towards the chairs that were pushed in neatly at the island. Her eyes darted towards the door before she slowly went to sit down. Her feet didn't even touch the floor but she was used to that. After a few seconds her hands came to rest against the cool countertop.

"What's your name?"

Silence was something that Meredith couldn't stand. Even if she had been forced to endure it pretty much all her life. She doubted that he was going to yell at her like her own father had.

"You can call me Frost, everyone does."

It was a bit of a surprise that he was even speaking to her. She nodded, wondering if that was his actual name. He seemed to be making her a sandwich of some sort. Every single move that he made seemed to be precise. It didn't take long before a plate was being slid her way.

Instead of reaching for it, she merely eyed it nervously.

"It isn't poison," he told her with a sigh," I don't kill people unless Mr. J tells me to."

Those words were only somewhat comforting to hear.

Meredith picked it up only to take a few small bites. He seemed pleased that she trusted him enough to a take a bite.

"What am I supposed to do here?"

What purpose was she going to serve?

Meredith figured from the way that the Joker had spoken that he would be killing her. At least do something horrible to her to make her father realize what a mistake he had made.

"I don't know, you won't know until he decides to let you know."

"Where is _he_ now?"

"Taking care of some other business, I am supposed to look after you."

She nodded, unsure about what to say next.

"After you finish I will take you to where you will be sleeping."

Apparently, she wasn't going to be forced to sleep on the couch. It hadn't exactly been uncomfortable. Though she knew that sleeping in the living room had left her exposed. The home that she was staying in wasn't exactly a home. It was more than likely a base for the Joker and his men.

She forced herself to quickly finish her food. All that she wanted was to get to a place where she would have some sort of privacy. It wasn't likely that she would have a whole lot of that. As far as she knew she was the Joker's property which meant he would do whatever he pleased. That could mean him coming into her so-called room whenever he wanted.

The second that Meredith finished the sandwich, the plate was being taken away. Frost was putting it in the dish washer which only held a few other dirty items. He motioned for her to follow him, not looking to see if she had listened. She slid from the chair, scooting it in, before following him. They were going up another small set of stairs into yet another hallway.

It wasn't empty like the last one had been.

Joker was standing in the very middle of it, talking with some of his men. Even in the house they were wearing the stupid masks that they had been in the warehouse. All of them went silent the second that they saw her standing right behind Frost.

"Kitten," greeted Joker, his eyes taking in her frame," Here we thought you would sleep forever."

It was strange to hear the Joker address her like he knew her. He had all kinds of resources being the man that he was. There was no way of knowing if he could have been having her father followed or even her. No one really know just how distant the two of them were. That was what her father had made sure of. To the outside world, he was the caring father that doted on his daughter. He gave her everything and then some.

The trade-off was that she basically lived alone.

"Someone did knock me out," she found herself saying," Kind of makes a girl sleep for a while."

Her words only made him laugh even if she didn't know what was remotely funny.

In a few strides he was right in front of her, leaning down so that his face was near hers. Personal space didn't seem to matter to him that much. It was probably a concept that he ignored all together. She inhaled sharply, doing her best to not step back. Frost had already moved aside so that the Joker could do what he wanted.

"Lighten up," he told her, still laughing," Don't you know how to laugh kitten?"

She was almost afraid to answer him.

He didn't seem to be too bothered by her silence. He looked towards Frost who hadn't said anything. His gaze returned towards her and he grinned.

"Make sure to doll up for me tonight."

He tapped her nose with his index finger before walking away, following the men down the hall. What was going to happen that night? She took a breath, debating asking Frost. He didn't seem like he would tell her anything that he hadn't been given permission to do so.

Instead of asking anything, she waited for Frost to begin to move again. He was leading her towards what she assumed was going to be her room. The door was pushed open but he didn't move to go inside. Instead he stood aside to let her go in. She glanced over her shoulder down the hall before forcing herself to move forward. Her bare feet were met with cold wood floor.

The walls were painted blood orange, an intense color. There was a single window that looked like it had been bolted shut. The bed was a twin sized one to her surprise. She had never slept in a bed so small but she was surprised that she was even being given one. It was decorated by a black comforter and had a few pillows on top. She peered into what she assumed was the closet.

The clothes inside of it were not the ones that belonged to her. All of them looked like they belonged to a woman that was not her. Every single item of clothing was flashy and on the skimpy side. Half of the them were dresses and she wondered if he expected her to dress up for him. His words from earlier rang inside of her head and she looked towards Frost.

"What is happening tonight?"

"You and Mr. J are going to one of his clubs."

* * *

After that Meredith was left alone and that left her mind spinning. She had imagined that when she would be taken that she would be kept locked up. Instead she had basically been given a tour of where she would be staying. The room she had been given wasn't like her old one. That didn't mean that it wasn't nice enough. She wasn't sure what was going to happen. If anything was going to happen or if he was just waiting for the right chance to kill her. Part of her was just wondering if he would realize that her father didn't give a shit about her.

She found herself staring at the closet since she had no idea what to wear. All she was thinking was that she wanted to be covered up. If she was covered up than it would make her feel better. Nothing that was in the closet was going to make her feel better.

Her fingers were shaking but she reached for a black number. It had sequins along the hem of the skirt that would probably only cover what should be covered. The neckline was plunging and she knew that it would be impossible to not feel odd wearing it. Though she had the feeling that if she didn't get dressed that one of the Joker's men would come in to do something about it.

She didn't want to get into any trouble.

That was something that she had, had enough of in her own home.

The punishments for that household meant being ignored but she knew that the Joker was not her father. He was someone else entirely.

He was ruled by madness.

The entire world that she was being pushed into was ruled by madness.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And here it is! A new chapter! Sorry it's a little on the shorter side. I just wanted to get this out! Sorry it has been so long as far as updating! I have been really busy and had some medical issues that have kept me from doing any writing! Hope you guys enjoy! And please let me know what you think!**

* * *

The club was in a word: overwhelming.

Meredith had only ever been to a few in her time given her father. After all she couldn't possibly be seen in such a place. There was no need for photos of her drunk and stumbling from some club. She was used to attending events that were more upper class. Events that allowed her to be dressed in clothes that would be considered much less scandalous.

She had been led inside by Frost who looked like he always did, a bit bored. Though she knew that he was serious about what he did for a living. After all he seemed to be the Joker's right hand man. Someone like that had to be in control constantly. Otherwise, one little slip, could end it all. Most of the Joker's men were soon lost in the sea of bodies that raged around them. The music was loud, booming from the speakers. The bass felt like it was vibrating within her very core.

More than a few men were glancing at her due to the company she was in.

At least that was what Meredith was telling herself as to why they were staring at her. It wasn't as if she had ever shown off her body in such a way. To her clothes were there to provide some sort of mystery. Instead the dress that was on her frame seemed to show it off. She wanted nothing more than to disappear but it wasn't an option. Frost was already leading her towards what she assumed was the V.I.P. area.

The Joker was already seated there against the white leather seat. A cane in hand and that grin on his face. His bright green hair was slicked back. He looked to be in his element from head to toe. He wasn't even looking at her as Frost led her in through the beaded curtains. His eyes seemed to be fixated on the dancers that were showing off their assets.

Frost motioned for her to sit which she did. Meredith plopped down and wrapped her arms around her frame. She felt like she was being put on display. Something told her that back before Harley had disappeared it was the same club they would go to. She was probably sitting exactly where the Joker's Queen had sat. Though the Queen had been happier to be right where she was.

Meredith was reaching to twirl a strand of hair around her finger. For a few minutes, Frost and the Joker spoke in whispers. How they understood each other over the noise was beyond her. The Joker patted Frost on the shoulder before nodding towards the bar.

After that Meredith was left alone with the Joker.

"Do you drink kitten?"

She slowly shook her head, still scared to speak. Suddenly she found herself craving the company of Frost. He hadn't seemed thrilled with her being near him but at least he was tolerable. He didn't scare her the way that the Joker did. Then again, the Joker was one of a kind.

"I promise I don't bite."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him without realizing what she was doing. He cracked a grin at the expression that danced across her face.

"I was wondering when I would see some of the real you."

A groan came from her but she knew that she had to speak. At least she should try considering that he had made it evident. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to him. If she was supposed to act a certain way or even speak. It was going to drive her crazy, trying to navigate her way through everything.

"Why am I here?"

"Because I want you here doll."

She hated that sort of answer and it was the kind that she had been expecting. It was the kind of answer that her father would have given her. It basically meant that she wasn't going to find out the truth until much later. There was no way for her to know what his plans were. Maybe he was just going to toy with her until he grew bored. That was something that a child would do.

There were some qualities that he possessed that she bet were childlike. Especially given how fast he seemed to change moods from the little that she had seen. He was probably a therapist's wet dream. She could only imagine what Harley Quinn had thought of him before she had fallen in love. She had probably been vying for the chance to interview him and treat him. She had probably never imagined that she would fall in love with him.

Frost suddenly appeared with a drink in his hand. Meredith assumed it was for the Joker but instead it was being held out to her.

"It's a daquiri, strawberry."

It was Frost that explained what it was since she was looking at him like he had three heads.

"I'm not old enough to drink."

He merely continued to hold it out for her with that same emotionless look on his face. Her gaze went towards the Joker before going back towards the drink. A frustrated sigh escaped from her perfectly glossed lips before she reached to grab the glass by the stem.

The second she took the glass, Frost was making his way from the area. It seemed that the Joker wanted to be left alone with her. That only made her feel that much more uneasy. Her body shifted and she looked down at the drink in her grasp. It was bright and fruity looking but she didn't even want to take a sip. Instead she looked up towards him before biting down on her lip.

"What am I supposed to do here?"

"Sit pretty I suppose while daddy takes care of business."

She leaned back against the leather sofa, hearing it crinkle with her every move. No other words were exchanged between them. Minutes ticked by and all she did was try to observe everything going on around them. There were so many people, all of them dressed wildly. Their bodies almost seemed to be moving in sync like one giant organism. There looked to be a few well known figures of Gotham in that club. They seemed to blend right in with the members of the underworld.

She wouldn't have been surprised to see someone that worked for her father in such a place. More than a few people were glancing at her with peaked interest. It wasn't like the Joker had a female companion with him that wasn't Harley.

"Go dance for me."

His command threw her for a loop since she wasn't expecting that. From the look on his face he meant business. Even though he wasn't looking at her but rather at the man that was hovering near the entrance. She would be glad to be away from him if only because he had demanded she dance.

She all but slammed the glass down on the table before brushing past the beaded curtain. Her head was subtly moving to the beat of the song. Her hands were grasping at the skirt of the dress. It wasn't that she had never danced before but it felt strange. Especially considering that he seemed to want her to dance by herself. What would happen if a man approached her, she was scared to find out.

It took her a few moments to actually begin to fully move with the beat of the song. It wasn't one that she knew but that didn't matter. It was one that you could move your body to and that was what counted. She knew that things for her could have been worse. If she had to dance in order to avoid something bloody and brutal, that was what she would do.

Even if she wasn't looking right at him, she could feel his eyes on her.

They seemed to be boring into her skin, causing goosebumps to form on her skin. Her hand reached to run through her hair, pushing it from her skin. More than a few people were watching her it seemed. She knew it was because of how young she was and the company that she was keeping. No one would ever know that it didn't have a choice in the fact that she was there or with the Joker.

The man that the Joker had been looking at seemed to have joined him in the VIP area. Meredith was trying her hardest to be subtle about looking towards the two men. The Joker looked like he was bristling, itching to do something. His hand was gripping the cane so tightly as if he was restraining himself. His mood had changed almost as soon as Meredith had walked away.

Quickly she looked away in order to prevent his eyes from meeting with hers. Even if he was in the middle of some discussion, he was still looking in her direction. Suddenly a pair of hands was grasping at her hips and she was being spun around. A squeak escaped from her when she realized what was happening. She found herself facing a man who looked to be about in his late twenties, early thirties. He was dressed in what looked to be a designer suit and it was evident that he was wasted.

He was grinning like an idiot as he began to move his body with her own. Her stomach was in knots but she didn't know how to get rid of him. He didn't seem to realize that she was not a willing partner. Perhaps it was the alcohol in his system or he was an idiot. Her face had turned bright red as she struggled to try to pull his hands from her. She had been in odd situations before but what was happening took the cake.

"You have to let me go," she stated through clenched teeth," You have to let go of me."

He didn't seem to hear her as he pulled her flush against him. His hips were nudging against her own and she could smell his cologne. Her nose was tickling against his chest considering her height. Her uncomfortable state grew worse with every passing second.

The guy was clearly wasted and it was amazing he was even able to stand. Let alone that he was able to move his body the way that he was. She was in shock about the whole thing but she was also scared. Her eyes kept flitting towards the Joker who was still in the middle of some kind of conversation. Though everything about his body language would let anyone know that the conversation was not going well.

Meredith wasn't even scared for herself even if the man was a stranger. Her only thought was that if the Joker saw the two of them that he would do something to the man. She wasn't an idiot and knew of his reputation. Apparently this man, whoever he was, hadn't noticed who she had come in with. He hadn't noticed her sitting with the Joker like almost everyone else had.

Suddenly there was a bang and the hands left her body. Some woman had screamed but Meredith could barely hear anything. It took her a few moments to realize that there was blood all over her shoulders, her arms. There was probably some in her hair. Standing a few feet away was one of the Joker's men that had disappeared into the crowd earlier. The man that had randomly grabbed at her was now lying on the floor, lifeless. Blood was spilling out from the wound on his head.

The sight made Meredith gag as people backed away. Though it was doubtful that it was the first time that something so horrible had happened at the club. She had the feeling that no one would be stupid enough to call the police. As if they would do anything anyways considering how useless they seemed to be.

"You sure know how to have fun kitten," hissed a voice in her ear before she was being grabbed by the arm. The grip was so tight there was no doubting she would be bruised.

Meredith didn't even utter a protest as Joker dragged her away from the scene. He was leading her from the club and towards what she assumed was his car. He didn't even care that she was coated in wet, hot, sticky blood that would surely ruin the interior. Instead he went to pull open the passenger seat and unceremoniously shoved her inside. She nearly toppled over but managed to catch herself.

Her fingers were trembling but she forced herself to buckle in. There was no way she didn't want to be buckled up considering who was getting behind the steering wheel. He had thrown his cane into the backseat before starting it up. If she wasn't in some form of shock, she would have taken note of how nice the car was.

Minutes went by as they drove down the street and away from the club. He seemed to have a thing for ignoring the fact that the all the street lights he hit were red. More than a few cars honked and another swerved to avoid getting hit. The poor woman didn't even realize she was holding her breath until they were turning onto one of the side streets.

"That man didn't do anything."

That only got her a laugh but other than that he didn't say anything.

He was pulling the car into what she assumed was the garage to his home. After pulling into a spot, he was shutting the car off and looking towards her. The look that he had on his face was one of interest. He was looking at her as if she was a puzzle for him to figure out. She was unsure if she should move but took off the seat belt.

"That man touched what's mine and he would have done more."

"He just was dancing with me," stated Meredith, still scared of him but unable to stop herself," And you are the one who wanted me to dance."

His hand shot out only to grasp at her chin, holding onto her. She knew instantly that she had made a mistake. He was propelling her forward while still holding onto her. Due to what he was doing, she was nearly in his lap. Her hands were clutching for something, anything to hold onto. One would have been amazed by the sight of them. There, she was, coated in blood and wearing a pretty dress. The look in her eyes showed how nervous she had grown.

There was Joker, looking like he always did. He was dressed to the nines in his best. There was not a single hair out of place. One might think that the look in his eyes was that of a predator. A predator that had its eyes on its prey and said prey was none other than Meredith.

"I wanted you to dance for me," he explained as if he was speaking to a child," You dance for me; you move for me, you breathe because I allow it kitten."

The conversation had taken a rather ugly turn and it was Meredith's fault.

"And no one touches my toys."

His fingers had crawled up to grasp at her cheeks, forcing her mouth to pucker. Meredith's heart was pounding and she felt like at any moment she would faint. Her hands were gripping onto the car so tightly that her knuckles were starting to become white. Her chest heaved and she was struggling to remember to breathe.

"I won't lose my new kitten," he hissed," Not after I lost her."

"I'm not Harley," she stammered out, unsure if saying her name was smart," I'm not fucking Harley Quinn."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey look! Another update! I swear these chapters will be getting longer as this goes on! I am trying to get the feel back for this so I hope it is alright! Please leave me some love! And enjoy!**

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The tension in the car could have been cut with a knife.

The energy was electric in every single sense of the word. Meredith knew the moment that Harley Quinn's name spilled from her lips she had made a mistake. That thought was only confirmed by the deadly silence that was being shared between them. She had the feeling that no one had been stupid enough to mention the one woman that seemed to understand the Joker on some level. Of course said woman had to lose her mind in order to even come close to the man.

His eyes had narrowed into two dark angry slits. Meredith took note of how chest heaved with each heavy breath took. His tongue darted out to lick at his bottom lip and he appeared to be deep in thought. His hand was still grasping at her face. His grip hadn't loosened but in fact it had gotten tighter. An ache had started to form in her jaws but she tried to avoid making any sort of noise. She had no idea what might make matters worse for herself. It was evident that she had royally screwed up.

Suddenly his hand dropped and he was moving to get out of the car. Her eyes followed his movement the second that he circled around to the passenger side. The door was being opened and his hands were shooting out to grab at her. Before she realized what she was doing she was struggling. Her hands were shoving, slapping and doing anything to avoid being grappled at. Even if it was a mistake she was even trying to kick at him which was easier said than done considering she was in a dress.

Her actions only made him cackle as if it was the most amusing thing on the planet. His tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth after a few moments. He stopped reaching for her only to stare at her. Her breath was coming out in choppy gasps and she was certain that she was going to lose her mind. Perhaps she already had considering how she was behaving. The struggle she had put up had managed to muss his perfectly gelled hair. A few strands had fallen into his eyes that still held the same anger.

"Kitten's got claws."

His words only served to confuse her before he was grasping at her again. Instantly her struggles resumed, her body wiggling in his hold. He didn't say a word as he lifted her from the car and shut the door. Meredith found herself being thrown over his shoulder as if she was nothing. She almost thought she was nothing more than a play thing to the man that was carrying her inside of his home.

He didn't seem to care that she was an utter mess and blood was dripping from her body. If anyone was around they would probably be jarred by the sight. At least if anyone that was normal and that didn't work for the Joker was around. She was confused when she realized that he wasn't carrying her in the direction of the room that he had given her. Instead he was carrying her up another flight of stairs and into what was probably the master suite. The room was huge compared to the one she had been given.

There was a small seating area that held furniture and a bear skin rug in front of the fireplace. There were three steps that led up from the seating area to where the bed was. It was a four poster that was covered by purple silk sheets. The bed was not made, the sheets mussed and pillows cast aside as if they had been thrown. There was even a walk in closet but the doors were closed.

Meredith wasn't able to get a good look at anything else because she was being carried into the bathroom. There was an old fashioned claw foot tub that looked like it hadn't been used. A stand up shower that had a shower head placed in the middle of the ceiling. The mirror was huge and there were two sinks. Some of the counter space was taken up by a rather large amount of cosmetics and hair products.

Joker was moving towards the shower and pulling open the glass door. He still kept her over his shoulder as he began to fiddle with the knobs. She was trying to get her thoughts straight but suddenly her body was hit by an onslaught of piercing cold water. A scream escaped from her which only made him laugh. He was setting her on her feet and she darted to get out of the shower stall. His arms caught her around the waist and he was forcing her back underneath the water.

All she did was scream as she tried to block the water using her hands. Her body was shifting against his as he made sure to keep her place. His grip on her was tight and she knew that she wasn't going anywhere. He didn't seem to care that his clothes were getting ruined. One of his hands reached up to push her now sopping wet hair away from her face and he was suddenly making hushing noises.

"Do not ever say her name again."

Her eyes widened upon realizing that his whole reaction was due to Harley's name. The fact that even just her saying Harley's name around him had set him off frightened her. It appeared that the smallest of things could make the man go crazy. She forced herself to nod since she was almost certain that her teeth were starting to chatter. He seemed pleased but still didn't let her go.

All of the blood that decorated her skin was slowly sliding down into the drain. The pristine white tile was becoming stained but it was not the first time. The walls of the bathroom had probably seen much worse than what was going on. He was turning her so that their chests were pressed together. Her eyes grew big at how close they were and he reached to tilt her head back. His fingers were starting to run through her hair as if he was trying to get the blood out.

Her eyes squeezed shut and she had to force herself to remain calm. By that point exhaustion was starting to win out over everything else that she was feeling. Finally after what felt like an eternity he was pulling her out of the shower and turning the water off. Meredith found herself standing in the middle of the bathroom, shivering uncontrollably. She found herself staring at the towels that were hanging up with longing. Though she was too scared to even make a move and instead wrapped her arms around herself to try to keep warm.

He was reaching for one of the towels and went to throw it over her shoulders. Her fingers greedily grasped at it the second that he did so. It didn't matter to her that she could be using it to dry her skin. Her brain was not working the way that it might have under normal circumstances. He was looking at her with mild interest before his hands were reaching towards her again. Even though she knew better, she found herself stepping back. A growl escaped from low within the Joker's throat. His hands reached for her hips only to yank her towards him.

A squeak escaped from her before she could even realize it. The sound made Joker grin before he was reaching for the towel that he had draped over her. His movement was almost mechanical as he began to dry her off. She barely had time to think as his hands dragged the towel along her skin. Needless to say the dress that was clinging to her frame was ruined.

His fingers deftly reached to pull the heels from her feet. The shoes were tossed aside as if they were nothing. That was when Meredith realized that he was kneeling in front of her. There was no trace of emotion in his face as he did his work. She wasn't sure what kind of picture they made and she didn't want to.

"Boss," spoke a voice that belonged to one of the Joker's men.

He wasn't wearing one of the masks that he had been earlier. Instead he was standing in the doorway of the bathroom that had been left open. Across his chest he was holding a rather large frightening gun. That gave Meredith the chance to see the perplexed look on the man's face.

"What is it?"

Joker didn't even look back but he was rising to his feet. His hands were reaching to push Meredith's hair back and away from her face. Her lips were tinged somewhat blue from how cold the water had been. Her eyes grew big when his thumb traced along her bottom lip. That wasn't something that she had been expecting. Of course she hadn't been expecting anything that was happening to happen.

"Frost wanted me to let you know that we took care of the body," explained the man who was suddenly looking anywhere but at them," His boss has already been paid to keep his mouth shut."

Joker nodded but didn't seem too interested in what he was being told. His hands were reaching to grasp at the hem of the skirt of Meredith's dress. Suddenly she came to life, shaking her head when she felt the fabric starting to be lifted. The last thing that she wanted was to feel exposed in front of Joker and one of his men. He gave her an annoyed look but to her surprise let go of the fabric.

"Go to your room," he ordered," And stay there."

Meredith quickly nodded before she was hurrying out of the bathroom. The man thankfully had taken a step to the side to allow her to pass. She couldn't even bring herself to meet his eyes when she passed him. There was the familiar feeling of bile traveling up her throat. Meredith forced herself to ignore it and darted down into her room. More of the Joker's men were in the house and she wondered if they had heard her screams. Obviously even if they had there was nothing that they could do about it.

She found herself back in her room and instantly she was slamming the door shut. The second that the door was shut it was like a damn breaking. Tears were falling down her face rapidly and she all but fell to the floor. Her back came to rest against the door and she knew that she needed to move. All of the thoughts that were rushing through her head were going to drive her mad.

It took every single ounce of energy to move from her spot on the floor. Her fingers were trembling as she peeled off the ruined dress. It was tossed to the floor without a second thought. Next went the bra and she went to pull on an oversized black t-shirt. It was hiding in the back of the closet that was filled with other garments that she wouldn't dare wear. She was taking a breath before she was crawling into the bed. The blanket was wrapped tightly around her and her face pressed into the pillow.

* * *

A few days went by before she was forced from her room. No one had bothered her or even tried to speak with her. She only had left her room in order to find something to eat. It seemed that someone did grocery shopping. All the food that was in the cupboards seemed to be microwavable or you could just eat it. She hadn't seen any fresh fruit or vegetables but it seemed that nutrition was not high on anyone's list.

Frost was the one who came to get her. He told her that she needed to get dressed and to shower. She hadn't even gone near the shower after what had happened with Joker in his. She had merely glared at him but he didn't even react. Instead he stood in the doorway with his hand on the gun on his waist. The sight of the gun was what made her move towards the bathroom. She had grabbed some garments from the closet before she disappeared.

She was out of the shower in record time and she forced herself to get dressed. That day it ended up being a dark blue dress that was more on the modest side. Even though it covered everything it was still skin tight. She felt like she was being turned into a different person. Her hair was dried and she went to pull it up, away from her face. It took her by surprise when Frost held up a pair of respectable black peek toe pumps. Apparently flats had been a thing of the past and she groaned.

Instead of protesting she went to pull them on. The second she did Frost had his arm grasping at her arm. He was pulling her out of the room before she could blink. She had the feeling that she needed to get used to being grabbed in such a fashion. The bruises from before were just starting to fade but new ones were probably going to form. She had never been so marked up in her life.

Meredith found herself standing in front of the armory. The Joker's men were all there, all of them in masks. Each of them was getting geared up for something from the look of it. She looked towards Frost who was still holding onto her. He looked more annoyed than anything at whatever it was that was going on.

"You get to play damsel in distress today."

Her eyes widened and she was unsure what to say.

"Damsel in distress?" she asked, frightened for the explanation.

Frost nodded before he was turning to grab a few items from the table. The first item was a pair of over-sized sunglasses that he slid right onto her face. She knew that they were designer since she used to own a few pairs. She found herself wondering what her father would have done with her things. There was a chance that he had done something or that he had merely left her room alone. It was doubtful that he would leave her room alone since he had never wanted her around in the first place. Perhaps her belongings had been packed and donated to some charity.

Had anyone even noticed that she was gone?

Or had her father made up some elaborate story to explain her absence?

Frost was placing a few bracelets on her bare wrist before handing her a purse. It looked like it was coach and she inhaled sharply.

"You get to act like you have all of your life," he explained," Only this time you are doing it for a reason."

She had the feeling that she wasn't going to like whatever it was that was about to happen.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I swear I am the worst person when it comes to updating things! However here is another chapter! I keep forgetting about this for some odd reason but I hope people still are interested! Please leave me some love! Things are going to be getting more intense in the next few chapters! Hope you enjoy!**

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Meredith found herself being led to the garage by Frost. He didn't even grab at her like he had previously. It seemed he knew that she had realized it was best to follow. Her arms were wrapped around her frame tightly and she was praying that whatever was about to happen didn't end badly. It was probably stupid of her to do so considering the company that she was in. Why had her father thought that she would survive being the Joker's captive? Did he think that he could get something out of it? It didn't seem all that likely.

All of his men were filing into the same white panel van that she had been thrown in before. Frost wasn't walking towards the van like the other men. Instead he was walking towards another car that looked unremarkable. She found herself looking from the van to the car. What was she going to be doing? Since she wasn't an idiot by any means she followed Frost. He was going to open the passenger door and motioned for her to get in. A sigh escaped from Meredith before she climbed into the seat.

Her fingers were grasping at the skirt of the dress. The door was being shut and Frost was getting in on the other side. He didn't even give her a second look as he started up the car. A small part of her wondered where they got the cars from. It wasn't like men like them could go to a dealer and just pay for it in cash. It just seemed odd considering everything.

"Put your seatbelt on."

Meredith quickly did as she was told, buckling herself in. It was odd that he wasn't even looking at her and knew that she hadn't put on the seatbelt. Her fingers wrapped around the seatbelt and she found herself staring out the window. Gotham went buzzing by and she wasn't too sure where they were going. A look of confusion appeared when she saw that they looked like they were in front of some kind of office building.

"You are going to go inside," explained Frost the moment he parked across the street," And tell the receptionist you have an appointment with Dr. Stewart, he's a shrink."

Meredith peered over at him from over the sunglasses. She was doing her best to absorb every bit of information that he was giving her. By no means was she an idiot considering she knew she couldn't mess up. If she messed up it would mean that Joker would be pissed. He would do something else to her and it might be worse than what happened in the shower.

"Ask for directions, say it's your first appointment," he continued," The men will come in and you will act like everyone else, frightened and upset, one of them will grab you."

That was what he meant by saying she would be playing the damsel in distress.

"You will struggle, scream for help and be dragged up while they do what they need to and if you do not pull this off Mr. J will not be pleased."

Meredith found herself wondering if the Joker was going to be there. She wasn't sure that she wanted him to be since she knew she was going to be overwhelmed. If she was lucky she was going to be able to pull it off considering her life was on the line. Quickly she nodded, waiting for him to unlock the doors. He seemed to get the message and his finger pressed down on the button.

In a flash she was climbing out of the car and nudging the door shut with her hip. After pushing the sunglasses further up her nose and fixing the purse strap, did she move. She knew that perhaps any other person would use the chance to run. Should she try? It would be stupid considering she had the feeling more of Joker's men were probably lurking about. Why go with the approach they were going with?

What did they need that was in the building?

Even if she was already regretting what she was doing, she made her way inside.

The lobby was beautifully decorated and there were people milling about. Some were on their phones and looked deep in thought. Others were talking and of course some were drinking coffee. The desk went along a wall and there were more than a few people behind it. Each of them was seated at computers and some had a few personal touches on them. Meredith instantly felt a sense of dread considering something horrible was about to happen. Not only that but whatever was about to happen was also because of her.

Even if she didn't want to, she propelled forward to the nearest available person. It ended up being a man who looked to be just a bit older than her. His hair was chestnut brown and combed to the side. He was sporting a pair of stylish glasses on the very tip of his nose. Overall he had a very friendly face and that only made her feel ten times worse. She almost wanted to turn and rush back out the door. If she did that though, she knew she was risking Joker's wrath. That was something she would do anything to avoid.

"May I help you?" asked the man when she didn't say anything for a few more moments.

Meredith's cheeks flushed at his question and she quickly cleared her throat," Oh, right, sorry, I spaced," she told him with a shy smile," I actually have an appointment with Dr. Stewart."

She was praying she was acting like she was supposed to.

"It's my first one," she explained before he could respond," I guess I'm just nervous."

He returned her smile with one of his own and he nodded in understanding," Of course, his office is on the fifteenth floor, you'll want to take the first elevator to the left and his office is three doors down the hall on the left."

She nodded before turning on her heel to begin to walk towards the elevator. The whole time she moved she was clutching at the purse strap like it was a lifeline. She was only a few feet away from the door when there was a loud bang, followed by gun shots Instantly it was chaos, people diving down to avoid being hit and there was screaming. Meredith found herself falling to the floor just like everyone else, her heart pounding like mad. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do but she found herself still crawling towards the elevator.

There was the sound of someone crying and more gun shots.

She had to stop herself from looking up like she wanted to. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity that was the reason she wanted to look. Of course Meredith knew that there was a chance that people were dead. If they weren't dead than they were injured in some way. Before she could try to get her thoughts straight, a hand was grasping her hair. A sharp cry ripped from her lips the second she was being yanked to her feet.

It was one of the men in masks and she almost got the feeling he was enjoying what he was doing. She was instantly putting up a struggle but she knew that it was futile. All around her were bodies but most of the people seemed to be alive. The only one that for sure looked to be dead was the security guard. He had pulled out his gun the moment that everything had started. Needless to say that had earned him four or five bullets in his chest.

Someone was yelling something but Meredith couldn't make it out. All she could hear was the roar of her own blood rushing to her ears. She wasn't sure what was happening but she was being dragged towards the elevator. Most of the men were there but Frost remained right where he was by the entrance. In his hands was the same gun that he had been toting around earlier at the compound.

The receptionist that had helped her was yelling for them to leave her alone.

A gun was being shoved in his direction and Meredith didn't realize what she was saying," Leave him alone! Please! Leave him!"

That only got her tossed against the elevator wall the second the doors opened. Her head slammed against the wall and she winced. One of her hands went up to cradle the side of her head. The men all filed in and the doors shut. It was almost a comical sight to behold considering the weapons they were holding. Meredith remained pressed against the wall as someone pressed a button for the fifteenth floor. Were they actually going to see Dr. Stewart? Who was he?

The men were laughing and seemed to be enjoying themselves. It only made things that much more disturbing for Meredith. She was hoping that since she had played hostage that she was done. The doors were opening and her arm was being grabbed. It became apparent that her work was not done for the day. She was pulled out into the hallway that was lined with doors. The people that were in the offices noticed the guns and were instantly clambering to hide. Meredith prayed that no one else was going to get hurt.

The door to the office that belonged to Dr. Stewart was being kicked open. The woman behind the desk let out a scream before a bullet was lodged in her skull. Meredith had a look of pure horror on her face at the sight of the woman's lifeless corpse. She had seen way too many dead bodies in the short amount of time she had been given to Joker. Another door was being kicked open and suddenly Frost was right there.

"Sit!" barked the man that was sporting a Batman mask.

Meredith quickly went to sit in one of the chairs that patients probably sat in. Her hands clapped over her head the moment she heard the familiar laughter that belonged to Joker. When had he arrived? How had he gotten in? Did he use a different entrance?

"I told you that you couldn't get away from me good doctor," he greeted, his arms out in a flourish.

Meredith could only see a little from where she had been told to sit. The door to what she assumed was Dr. Stewart's office was open and Joker was in the doorway. A man was cowering and seemed to have started to cry. Meredith found herself beginning to hum to block out whatever was happening. It was only a matter of minutes before Meredith saw files being handed to one of the henchmen.

One of them was in front of her in a flash. Her eyes widened when he tore the sunglasses from her face. In their place he had tied something around her eyes. She felt her hands being raised and something was being tied around them. A gasp came from her before she was being lifted from the chair. Her feet left the ground and she realized she was being cradled in someone's arms.

"You did good kitten," whispered a voice that gave Meredith chills.

It clicked right then that she was in Joker's arms. She instantly wanted to squirm to get away from him but knew better. Instead she merely remained quiet as the men continued to talk amongst themselves. They were suddenly moving and Meredith was doing her best to stop herself from shaking. Even if she felt like she had barely done anything, she was drained. Everything that had happened had taken a toll on her.

Tears were filling her eyes and getting the fabric of the blindfold wet. No one seemed to notice or care that she was in such a state. She was being carried into the elevator again and thought maybe she would be set down. Instead she remained in Joker's arms and feeling like an utter mess. It was a feeling that she knew she ought to get familiar with. It was evident that she was going to keep being put in such a state. At least until she managed to return to her old life if that was even going to happen.

Minutes ticked by and Meredith realized that they were outside.

Somehow she had survived it.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: What's this? Another update? Look at that! I'm actually updating and it's not taking me a month! Please leave some reviews! I would love to know what you guys think! And I hope that everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I am going to probably be a little slow again since my work is picking up. Anyways! Enjoy!**

* * *

There was more gunfire.

The sound of the gunfire was accompanied by hyena like laughter. Meredith was as rigid as a board in Joker's arms. Everything that was happening around her was making her that much more upset. Sobs were wracking her frame but no one seemed to notice. At least Joker didn't and he was holding her in his arms. A gasp escaped from her when he suddenly shifted her and she found herself draped over his shoulder. One of his arms secured her around the waist and the other was pulling out his gun.

Sirens joined all the chaos and the police seemed to be everywhere. An officer was yelling something to the Joker but it was next to impossible for Meredith to listen. They were shouting for him to give up and put the weapons down. All of Joker's men were firing like mad just like their boss was. They were suddenly moving and Meredith was struggling to remember to breathe.

She was being thrown into the passenger seat of a car but Joker wasn't buckling her in. His fingers dragged along her cheek for a moment before he was hurrying to get into the driver's seat. While he moved, he was firing his weapon aimlessly. It didn't matter to him if he hit one of his men or one of the officers. It was only a matter of time before the Bat showed up. The last thing he needed was to lose the files that he had gained.

Meredith wasn't sure what to do but she reached up to tear the blindfold from her eyes. The fabric dropped to her throat and she gasped at the sight before her. It appeared that the police were putting up barricades and Joker was already in the driver's seat. He had a wild look in his eyes that let her know they were in for it. He looked over at her and gave her a wicked grin.

"Don't!"

Her protest was ignored and he was slamming on the gas. He swerved, almost side swiping some poor rookie cop that probably had a hero complex. Meredith was grabbing onto the door of the car to keep herself upright. The entire time she was screaming for Joker to stop but she was ignored. He was aiming right for the barricades and the cops were diving to get out of the way.

That only caused his laughter to get louder.

Meredith was wishing that everything that was happening was just some nightmare. Something told her that she knew exactly what was going to be on the news that night. It wouldn't be a surprise if she saw herself since she knew how bad the press could be. Her father had a love and hate relationship with reporters. It was something that could not be avoided considering how tenacious they could be. She remembered hearing him rail on about Vicki Vale for a good hour or so before.

Joker was weaving in and out of traffic, going against the flow of it. Meredith could only hope that they would not get hit by someone. A car accident would just be the cherry on top of the damn sundae. She squeezed her eyes shut and found herself counting in her head. It was a relief when the car seemed to be slowing to a stop. Her eyes snapped open to see that they were pulling behind what looked like a restaurant. The car was being shut off and suddenly she felt Joker's eyes burning a hole in the side of her head.

His hand darted out to grasp at her chin again to turn her head towards him. His gloved fingers were reaching to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Her lower lip trembled but she tried her best to not let out another sob. He reached to cut the ropes that kept her wrists bound together. The second that her wrists were free, she was going to shove him away from her.

"What was that?" she screamed, going to press herself against the door," You could have gotten us killed! You could have gotten me killed!"

He made a tutting noise before he was diving towards her once more. He was practically on top of her and her back smacked against the door. Her head came to slam against the glass and she let out a groan. He seemed to like the noise that came from her. His hands were clutching at her face and he slammed her head back again. Another cry erupted from her and her vision swam around the edges.

"And here I thought you were going to keep being a good kitten."

She wasn't even sure she could talk so she chose to not say anything. His mouth curved into a slight frown but was replaced quickly with a smirk. He went to cradle the back of her head using his hand to force her to look towards him. It was almost as if he was studying her.

"Now we have to go in to meet a nice man who has some information for me."

"We?" asked Meredith, her voice cracking.

Joker apparently decided against answering her question. He was going to climb out of the car only to walk around to open her door. She held her hands out to ward him off before she got out. His hand reached to push his hair back before he was going to grasp her by the waist. She wanted to shove him away but it was hard enough for her to stand on her own two feet. He seemed to know that from the look on his face.

Together they walked into what looked like the back entrance of the restaurant. Meredith found herself standing in a rather busy kitchen. People were cursing, plates were flying and food was being prepared. Joker seemed to be in his element, walking through and everyone stopped what they were doing. Meredith noticed a few of the servers looking at her like she had lost her mind. Part of her wondered if they thought she was there willingly. It was the last place that she wanted to be.

They walked into the dining area and made their way towards a booth. It looked to be the nicest table in the whole restaurant. It was circular and nestled in the corner. There was a bucket full of ice and what she assumed was a bottle of champagne nestled inside of it. She noticed that there was already a man sitting there dressed in a custom suit from the look of him. He had a pair of sunglasses on and a cigar hanging out of his mouth.

"Mr. J!" he greeted, his voice boisterous and he went to stand," Always a pleasure."

He didn't even acknowledge Meredith to her relief.

Joker only nodded before he was ushering her into the booth. She was relieved to be able to sit since her head was still spinning. Her hands rested against the table and she leaned back into the leather. Joker went to sit beside her and was reaching for the bottle of champagne. He didn't say a word and poured a single glass. Instead of drinking it, he was going to slide it her way.

"Do you have what I asked for?" he asked, his attention going to the man.

Instantly the man nodded before taking what looked to be an envelope from inside of his blazer. It was plain, nothing remarkable about it. She watched him take the file and he was sliding the files that belonged to Dr. Stewart. He had done everything in order to make a deal of some sort? Meredith's fingers wrapped around the stem of the glass and she still couldn't believe what had been done.

"Don't I always deliver Mr. J?"

Joker snorted in response and it was then that his attention went to Meredith. His hand returned to the back of her head, his fingers brushing against the bump that was starting to form.

"The good doctor will no longer be a problem for you."

The man smiled, seeming to be thrilled at the news. Meredith had the feeling that the whole point of what had been done was for Dr. Stewart to meet his end. She didn't even think but she was reaching to down the champagne. Joker laughed before he was pouring another one for her.

"Your payment is in that as well as what else you asked for."

Meredith's attention went towards the envelope that Joker was picking up to put away. She looked around the restaurant to see the other guests. None of them seemed to be perturbed that someone like Joker was in such a place. They were all keeping on with their conversations and eating their meals. The smell of the food made Meredith realize she was hungry.

Joker noticed how she was looking at the plates that were being carried out. He snapped his fingers at the poor waitress who was on her way to a table. The woman who looked to be in her forties froze on the spot when she realized who it was that wanted her attention. She clutched at the tray laden with plates but didn't move closer. He went to stand only to snatch one of the plates from the tray.

The plate held a steak that looked to be cooked to perfection. There was also a side of vegetables and he was slamming it down in front of Meredith. She jumped at the sound, confused at what he was doing. He rolled his eyes before he snatched up the fork. It was being placed between her fingers and he was then motioning for the man to follow him.

That left Meredith alone and she looked up towards the waitress. The woman looked confused but didn't say anything else. Instead she hurried back to the kitchen to get another plate. Meredith looked down at the food before her and she went to take a small bite.

After she had finished eating, Joker had returned. He didn't look angry or upset which was probably a good thing. He motioned for her to get up and she sighed before standing up. One of her hands was grabbing at her head that was still pounding. He didn't seem to want to wait, reaching to grab her again. Once more she was being lifted up and she all but fell against him. The chains tickled her skin and she looked up towards his face.

"We're going home."

* * *

The compound was silent when they arrived. Meredith thought she was going to be taken to her room but instead he was moving towards his own room. The second she realized that, she was scrambling to get away from him. The last time he had brought her in there it hadn't ended well. He growled at her actions which caused her to stop moving. The door was opened and he was throwing her onto the bed.

She crawled towards the top only to wrap her arms around the pillows. His hands were reaching to yank off her shoes and throw them aside carelessly. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying that she would be left alone. He was standing at the foot of the bed and staring down at her. If she wasn't in pain and half out of it she might have felt uncomfortable.

He was studying her intently. His eyes had narrowed but there was no trace of anger on his face. In fact it was hard to tell what he was feeling. He was circling towards the top of the bed to look towards her face. If she heard him, she gave him no notion that she did. Instead her eyes remained closed and her body curled up. The make-up she had put on earlier had run down her cheeks. Every single limb of her body was trembling and he noticed the goosebumps that had formed on her skin.

After taking a breath, he was reaching to pull the blankets up her frame. His fingers brushed against her shoulder for only a moment before he was hurrying from the room. The door was left ajar only just but the light was shut off. In mere moments Meredith was dead to the world.

The mattress suddenly dipped what felt like minutes later but was really hours. By that point the moon was already up and shining through the rather large windows. Meredith's eyes fluttered open the moment that she felt the movement. To her immense confusion it seemed that Joker was climbing in beside her. It was his bed but she didn't think he would want to lay with her in it.

He didn't seem to pay her any mind as he made himself comfortable. She watched him shift about before he was finally going still. It took her a few moments to realize all he had on were a pair of black sweatpants. They seemed to hang just off of his hips. That gave her the chance to see the many tattoos that decorated his frame. His skin reminded her of milk almost with how pale he was.

He didn't seem to care that she was already in the bed. In fact he didn't even spare her a glance. Instead he made himself comfortable on his side. His gaze was focused on the windows that were on the other side of the room. To some he might have been spacing out but she had the feeling he was thinking. That could either be good or bad but she was leaning towards bad.

There was no way for her to know just what was on his mind. She almost wished she hadn't woken up because she felt extremely awkward. Should she get up and go to her own room? Would he be angry if she did? She slowly began to push herself up using her arms. A hand was suddenly on her back and she was being pushed back down. She let out a squeal of surprise and found herself looking back towards him. The expression on his face didn't change.

"Stay," he told her like one might address an errant dog.

Meredith almost pouted but she realized very quickly that wasn't a good idea. He actually began to move closer to her which made her want to move away. His arm was winding around her waist and she found herself being pulled flush against him. A gasp ripped from her lips and she was looking up at his face.

"Shouldn't I go back to my room?"

"You sleep where I tell you to sleep."

The next day she was woken by something prodding her side. Her eyes fluttered open and she realized that the thing prodding her was his cane. He was looking down at her like she was a bug that needed to be squashed. He looked like he was disgusted with her which only confused her even more.

"Get dressed," he told her," And meet me downstairs."

She wasn't able to even get any words out. He was already turning and swiftly leaving the room. She let out a huff before she was climbing from the bed. Her fingers were clutching at the sheet and she was taking deep breaths. It wasn't a good idea to keep him waiting since it seemed he wanted her company. She was going to walk into her room thankfully no one else was around.

Before she could head to the closet she noticed an outfit lay out on the bed. It looked to be a white maxi dress and there were a pair of white sandals on the floor. There were even gold bracelets and a necklace. She let the sheet drop before she hurried to put on the outfit. Her fingers went to comb through her hair and she did it up in a twist. She chanced looking at herself in the mirror and her eyes widened at the sight of herself. It had only been a little over a week since she had been taken by Joker.

In that week her appearance had already changed. The lack of sleep was starting to show more so than it had before. Even though she knew he was waiting, she found herself putting on a small amount of make-up. Her teeth were gnawing on her lower lip and she took a breath. Her hands were reaching to brush a few loose strands away from her eyes.

She quickly turned off the light before making her way down to the foyer. Joker was there as well as Frost. Neither of them said a word to her. Instead Frost was reaching to open the door that led to the garage. Both men looked at her and she quickly made her way out the door.

Joker was right behind her, his cane swinging back and forth with each step. Frost was right behind him and Meredith tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Two fingers were pressing into her lower back and she was being guided towards one of the more subtle cars.


End file.
